Philippians 3:2-9

A Warning To Beware Of The Judaisers, Who Taught That Salvation Was Through the Works Of The Law, Is Backed Up From Paul's Experience In Which He had Discovered That All Such Efforts Were In Vain (Philippians 3:2).

The passage appears to commence abruptly because Paul moves into his subject without preparation. But we may see this as an intentional way of shocking them into taking notice. In it he warns them against the Jews/Judaisers in no uncertain terms. Having rejected their Messiah they have become dogs of Gentiles, doers of evil, and mutilators of the flesh, their ‘circumcision' now having become a meaningless mutilation in view of the coming of Christ. For in Christ the true circumcision are the true church of Jesus Christ, and circumcision is that of the heart (Romans 2:29; compare Leviticus 26:41; Deuteronomy 10:16; Jeremiah 4:4). It was the old Israel's failure to be circumcised in heart that had resulted in their rejection. This recognition that the church are the true continuation of the Israel of old (they ‘are Israel') is found constantly throughout the New Testament.

Jesus Himself likened His followers to ‘branches of the true Vine' (John 15:1) and explained that in the face of His opponents' intransigence, ‘the Kingly Rule of God will be taken away from you (the unbelieving Jews), and will be given to a nation producing its fruits' (Matthew 21:43). In Matthew 16:18 He had confirmed the building of the new congregation of Israel on Peter's statement of His Messiahship. Acts 1-12 clearly demonstrates the foundation of that true Israel and in Acts 4:25 the Gentile peoples of Psalms 2 have become the cast off people of Israel, confirming that the latter were no longer to be seen as Israel. That Gentile proselytes were then grafted in (Acts 10-11) is seen to be the work of God (compare Romans 11:17), which consequently led to the great debate as to whether they should be circumcised (had they not been seen as becoming a part of the true Israel that question would never have arisen). Paul's argument against the need for circumcision was not that they were not becoming Israel (indeed he thought that they were), but that physical circumcision has been replaced by ‘the circumcision of Christ' (Colossians 2:11), the shadow being replaced by the reality. The gathering at Jerusalem dispensed with the need for circumcision on the basis that Scripture had prophesied the introduction of the Gentiles into Israel without any mention of circumcision (Acts 15:16).

When writing to the Galatians Paul informs them that they are Abraham's seed and therefore heirs according to the promise (Galatians 3:29), for in Christ there is no distinction between Jew and Greek (Galatians 3:28), an idea further dealt with in Ephesians 2:11. All are now part of the true Israel (Ephesians 2:18). That is why in Galatians 6:16 he refers to them as ‘the Israel of God' just as in Galatians 4:21 they are the new Jerusalem. All the Old Testament promises about Israel and Jerusalem will now therefore find their fulfilment in the church of Jesus Christ, for they are the true Israel. As he says here in Philippians, it is now the church who are ‘the Circumcision' (in contrast to the Mutilators - Philippians 3:2). Compare also Romans 11:17; Romans 9:6; 1 Peter 1:1; 1 Peter 2:9; James 1:1.

Paul then demonstrates the uselessness and invalidity of any hope of seeking to obtain acceptance with God by works of the Law and adherence to the now false Israel, by describing his own attempts at doing so which had proved a devastating failure. It was only when he had counted those as loss having found Christ, that he discovered what he was looking for, full salvation.

Analysis.

a Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the concision, for we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God, and glory in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh (Philippians 3:2).

b Though I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. If any other man thinks to have confidence in the flesh, I yet more (Philippians 3:4).

c Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews, as touching the law, a Pharisee; as touching zeal, persecuting the church; as touching the righteousness which is in the law, found blameless. Howbeit what things were gain to me, these have I counted loss for Christ (Philippians 3:5).

b Yes truly, and I count all things to be loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but refuse, that I may gain Christ (Philippians 3:8).

a And be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own, even that which is of the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith (Philippians 3:9)

Note that in ‘a' it is not the Jews/Judaisers whose righteousness is unacceptable who are the true circumcision, but those who truly worship God in the Spirit and glory in Christ Jesus, and do not trust in fleshly righteousness, while in the parallel Paul has found his acceptance, not by false righteousness and works of the Law, but through faith in Christ, which has provided him with true righteousness. In ‘b' he had been such that he could have had the greatest possible confidence in his fleshly make up and activities, and in the parallel he counted them all as loss that he might gain Christ. Centrally in ‘c' he counts as loss all that he had once prided himself in as hopefully achieving his salvation.